Microwave, high-resolution infrared, and quantum chemical investigations of CHBrF2: ground and v4 = 1 states

A combined microwave, infrared, and computational investigation of CHBrF(2) is reported. For the vibrational ground state, measurements in the millimeter- and sub-millimeter-wave regions for CH(79)BrF(2) and CH(81)BrF(2) provided rotational and centrifugal-distortion constants up to the sextic terms as well as the hyperfine parameters (quadrupole-coupling and spin-rotation interaction constants) of the bromine nucleus. The determination of the latter was made possible by recording of spectra at sub-Doppler resolution, achieved by means of the Lamb-dip technique, and supporting the spectra analysis by high-level quantum chemical calculations at the coupled-cluster level. In this context, the importance of relativistic effects, which are of the order of 6.5% and included in the present work using second-order direct perturbation theory, needs to be emphasized for accurate predictions of the bromine quadrupole-coupling constants. The infrared measurements focused on the ν(4) fundamental band of CH(79)BrF(2). Fourier transform investigations using a synchrotron radiation source provided the necessary resolution for the observation and analysis of the rotational structure. The spectroscopic parameters of the v(4) = 1 state were found to be close to those of the vibrational ground state, indicating that the ν(4) band is essentially unaffected by perturbations.     

Spectroscopic investigation of fluoroiodomethane, CH2FI: Fourier-transform microwave and millimeter-/submillimeter-wave spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations

Guided by theoretical predictions, the rotational spectrum of fluoroiodomethane, CH(2)FI, has been recorded and assigned. Accurate values are reported for the ground-state rotational constants, all quartic, sextic, and two octic centrifugal-distortion constants. The hyperfine structure of the rotational spectrum was thoroughly investigated using a Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer and the Lamb-dip technique in the millimeter-/submillimeter-wave region, thus allowing the accurate determination of the complete iodine quadrupole-coupling tensor and of the diagonal elements of the iodine spin-rotation tensor. Relativistic effects turned out to be essential for the accurate theoretical prediction of the dipole moment and quadrupole-coupling constants and were accounted for by direct perturbation theory and a spin-free four-component treatment based on the Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian. The relativistic corrections to the dipole moment amount to up to 34% and to the iodine quadrupole-coupling tensor to about 15-16% of the total values.     

Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of HSiBr: exploring the Si-Br bond through quadrupole hyperfine coupling

The 1(01)-0(00) (9-10 GHz) and 2(02)-1(01) (18-19 GHz) rotational transitions of HSi 79Br and HSi 81Br have been measured in a pulsed discharge jet expansion to an experimental uncertainty of approximately 1 kHz using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The data have yielded an effective rotational constant, the centrifugal distortion constant Dj, the bromine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, and the bromine nuclear spin-molecular rotation interaction parameter for both isotopomers. The derived parameters have been compared to their values calculated ab initio, and the nuclear quadrupole coupling tensor has been used to investigate the Si-Br bond, giving a sigma bond ionic character of 0.60, a pi bond character of 0.22, and a total Si-Br ionic character of 0.38. These bond characteristics have been compared to trends in other halosilylenes, silanes, and the analogous carbenes.     

Millimeter wave spectrum of bromomethyl radical, CH2Br

The rotational spectra of the two isotopic species of the bromomethyl radical, CH2 79Br and CH2 81Br, have been observed in their ground electronic state 2B1 in the 180-470 GHz frequency region, corresponding to a-type transitions from N=8-7 to N=21-20. The radical was produced by hydrogen abstraction of methylbromide (CH3Br) either by chlorine or by fluorine atoms in a free space cell. Hyperfine structure due to the bromine nucleus has been resolved in the observed spectra, and the rotational constants as well as the fine and hyperfine interaction constants were accurately determined for both isotopomers. The inertial defect was determined to be 0.028 96(20) and 0.028 95(20) amu A(2), for CH2 79Br and CH2 81Br, respectively, suggesting a planar structure. By fixing the [angle]HCH bond angle at 124.5 degrees , an effective molecular structure can be derived as r0(CBr)=1.848 A and r0(CH)=1.084 A. A comparison of the molecular structure of various halogen-substituted methyl radicals with respect to the planarity of these radicals is discussed.     

High-resolution FTIR, microwave, and ab initio investigations of CH2 79BrF: ground, v(5) = 1, and v(6) = 1, 2 state constants

A spectroscopic study of CH279BrF in the infrared and microwave regions has been carried out. The rovibrational spectrum of the nu5 fundamental interacting with 2nu6 has been investigated by high-resolution FTIR spectroscopy. Owing to the weakness of the 2nu6 band, the v6 = 2 state constants have been derived from v6 = 1. For this reason, the rotational spectra of the ground and v6 = 1 states have been observed by means of microwave spectroscopy. Highly accurate ab initio computations have also been performed at the CCSD(T) level of theory in order to support the experimental investigation. As far as the nu5 band is concerned, the analysis of the rovibrational structure led to the identification of more than 3000 transitions, allowing the determination of a set of spectroscopic parameters up to sextic distortion terms and pointing out first-order c-type Coriolis interaction with the v6 = 2 state. With regard to the pure rotational spectra measurements, the assignment of several DeltaJ = 0, +1 transitions allowed the determination of the rotational, all the quartic, and most of the sextic centrifugal distortion constants, as well as the full bromine quadrupole coupling tensor for both the ground and v6 = 1 states.     

Rotational spectra of 1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene. I. Main isotopologues and deuterated species of the trans isomer

Guided by theoretical predictions, the rotational spectra of the mono- and bideuterated species of trans-1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene, CH35Cl=CDF, CH37Cl=CDF, CD35Cl=CHF, CD37Cl=CHF, CD35Cl=CDF, and CD37Cl=CDF, have been recorded for the first time. Assignment of the Delta J = 0 and Delta K(-1) = +1 bands with K(-1) = 3,4,5,... (all isotopic species) as well as of several Delta J = +/-1 and Delta K(-1) = +1 transitions (all isotopic species except CH37Cl=CDF, CD37Cl=CHF, and CD37Cl=CDF) led to the accurate determination of the ground-state rotational constants, the quartic, and some sextic centrifugal distortion constants, as well as the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for both 35Cl and 37Cl in good agreement with corresponding theoretical predictions based on high-level coupled-cluster calculations. Inconsistencies of the present spectroscopic parameters with respect to those reported earlier for the two main isotopologues, i.e., CH35Cl=CHF and CH37Cl=CHF, necessitated a reinvestigation of the rotational spectra for these two isotopic species. Supported by quantum chemical calculations, the previously recorded spectra are reassigned to a vibrationally excited state, while analysis of the Delta J = 0 and Delta K(-1) = +1 as well as some Delta J = +/-1 and Delta K(-1) = +1 transitions provided a revised set of spectroscopic parameters for the vibrational ground state of these two isotopic species.     

Trans-1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene: microwave spectra and anharmonic force field

For the first time the millimeter-wave spectra of the trans-35ClHC=CHF and trans-37ClHC=CHF isotopomers have been observed in natural abundance. Many DeltaJ=0, +/-1 DeltaK(-1)=+1 transitions for 35ClHC=CHF and DeltaJ=0 DeltaK(-1)=+1 transitions for 37ClHC=CHF have been detected and assigned. This allowed us to accurately determine the vibrational ground-state rotational constants, quartic and some sextic centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for both 35Cl and 37Cl. The experimental investigation has been supported by highly accurate theoretical predictions. As far as ab initio computations are concerned, the complete set of cubic and quartic force constants have been evaluated by numerical differentiation of the analytic second-order M?ller-Plesset many-body perturbation theory/correlation consistent polarized valence triple zeta second derivatives. The anharmonic part of the force field completes the theoretical study on the equilibrium structure, dipole moment, chlorine quadrupolar tensor, and harmonic force field previously carried out by the same authors.     

Rotational spectra of rare isotopic species of fluoroiodomethane: determination of the equilibrium structure from rotational spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations

Supported by accurate quantum-chemical calculations, the rotational spectra of the mono- and bi-deuterated species of fluoroiodomethane, CHDFI and CD(2)FI, as well as of the (13)C-containing species, (13)CH(2)FI, were recorded for the first time. Three different spectrometers were employed, a Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer, a millimeter/submillimter-wave spectrometer, and a THz spectrometer, thus allowing to record a huge portion of the rotational spectrum, from 5 GHz up to 1.05 THz, and to accurately determine the ground-state rotational and centrifugal-distortion constants. Sub-Doppler measurements allowed to resolve the hyperfine structure of the rotational spectrum and to determine the complete iodine quadrupole-coupling tensor as well as the diagonal elements of the iodine spin-rotation tensor. The present investigation of rare isotopic species of CH(2)FI together with the results previously obtained for the main isotopologue [C. Puzzarini, G. Cazzoli, J. C. Lo?pez, J. L. Alonso, A. Baldacci, A. Baldan, S. Stopkowicz, L. Cheng, and J. Gauss, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 174312 (2011); G. Cazzoli, A. Baldacci, A. Baldan, and C. Puzzarini, Mol. Phys. 109, 2245 (2011)] enabled us to derive a semi-experimental equilibrium structure for fluoroiodomethane by means of a least-squares fit procedure using the available experimental ground-state rotational constants together with computed vibrational corrections. Problems related to the missing isotopic substitution of fluorine and iodine were overcome thanks to the availability of an accurate theoretical equilibrium geometry (computed at the coupled-cluster singles and doubles level augmented by a perturbative treatment of triple excitations).     

Millimeter-wave rotational spectrum and molecular constants of diatomic gallium bromide

Gas-phase spectra of four isotopic species of GaBr have been detected in the millimeter wavelength region. The molecules were produced by a flame reaction of gallium and bromine at 1000° C. From the rotational spectra molecular constants have been determined for ⁶⁹Ga⁷⁹Br,⁶⁹Ga⁸¹Br,⁷¹Ga⁷⁹Br,⁷¹Ga⁸¹Br. The equilibrium internuclear distance is r_e = 2.3524907(82).     

The microwave spectrum of bromine isocyanate,Brnco: Determination of rotational constants from quadrupole hyperfine structure

A novel method has been developed to evaluate accurate rotational constants from the microwave spectrum of the unstable molecule bromine isocyanate, using perturbations in nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structure. It has been applied to this prolate near-symmetric rotor to determine A_v and x_ab accurately, entirely from a-type R branches. The method has been made possible by the development of a special computer program for global léast-squares fitting to rotational and centrifugal distortion constants, along with all components of the Br nuclear quadrupole coupling tensor.     

C-H···π interactions in the CHBrF2···HCCH weakly bound dimer

The microwave spectra of four isotopologues of the CHBrF(2)···HCCH weakly bound dimer have been measured in the 6-18 GHz region using chirped-pulse and Balle-Flygare Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. Spectra of (13)CH(79)BrF(2) and (13)CH(81)BrF(2) monomers have also been measured, and spectroscopic constants are reported. Measurement of spectra for the (79)Br and (81)Br isotopologues of CHBrF(2) complexed with both (12)C(2)H(2) and (13)C(2)H(2) have allowed the determination of a structure with C(s) symmetry for this complex. CHBrF(2) interacts with the triple bond of acetylene via a C-H···π contact (R(H···π) = 2.670(8) ?) with the Br atom lying in the ab plane, located 3.293(40) ? from a hydrogen atom of the HCCH molecule. The structure of CHBrF(2)···HCCH has been compared with recently studied related acetylene complexes, including a comparison with (and further structural analysis of) the CHClF(2)···HCCH complex.     

Rotational spectra of 1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene. II. Equilibrium structures of the cis and trans isomer

Equilibrium structures for the cis and trans isomer of 1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene are reported. The structures are obtained within a least-squares fit procedure using the available experimental ground-state rotational constants for various isotopic species of both forms. Vibrational effects were eliminated before the analysis using vibration-rotation interaction constants derived from computed quadratic and cubic force fields with the required quantum chemical calculations carried out using second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation as well as coupled-cluster (CC) theory. The semiexperimental or empirical equilibrium geometries obtained in this way agree well with the corresponding theoretical predictions obtained from CC calculations [at the CCSD(T) level] after extrapolation to the complete basis-set limit and inclusion of core-valence correlation corrections. The present results allow a detailed analysis of the geometrical differences between the two forms of 1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene. They are also compared to the structural data available for other halogenated ethylenes.     

Molecular structure of thiourea

The molecular structure of thiourea has been investigated under C(s), C(2), and C(2v) symmetry constraints. At the coupled-cluster level in conjunction with a triple-ζ basis set, only the C(2) conformer has been found to be a real minimum on the potential energy surface. Its equilibrium structure has therefore been accurately evaluated using both theoretical and experimental data. With respect to the former, high-level quantum-chemical calculations at the coupled-cluster level in conjunction with correlation-consistent basis sets ranging in size from triple- to quintuple-zeta have been carried out. Extrapolation to the complete basis-set limit as well as core-correlation effects and inclusion of full treatment of triple excitations in the cluster operator have been considered. On the basis of the vibrational ground-state rotational constants available for five isotopic species and the corresponding computed vibrational corrections, the semiexperimental equilibrium geometry of thiourea has also been determined for the first time.     

The rotational spectrum of bromoacetyl chloride

The rotational spectrum of bromoacetyl chloride, BrCH₂COCl, has been assigned using a pulsed molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. It has been possible to determine the rotational and quartic centrifugal distortion constants of the energetically favoured conformer (anti-periplanar) as well as the complete bromine and chlorine quadrupole coupling tensors including their off diagonal elements for the following isotopomers: ⁷⁹BrCH₂CO³⁵Cl, ⁸¹BrCH₂CO³⁵Cl, ⁷⁹BrCH₂CO³⁷Cl, and ⁸¹BrCH₂CO³⁷Cl. Experimental results are supported by quantum chemical calculations.     

Structural and electronic properties of the charge-transfer complex H3P...Br2 determined by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy

The ground-state rotational spectra of six isotopomers of the symmetric-top complex H3P...Br2 have been measured by the technique of pulsed-nozzle, Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The spectroscopic constants B0, DJ, DJK, chiaa(Brx) and Mbb(Brx), x=i (inner) or o (outer) bromine atom, were obtained from analysis of the spectra. Interpretation of these constants with the aid of models revealed that the pre-reactive complex has an intermolecular bond of length r(P...Br) = 3.0440(4) A between the P atom of PH3 and one Br atom of Br2 and that this bond is a relatively strong one, as measured by the intermolecular stretching force constant ksigma-9.8 Nm(-1). The complex was discovered to have a significant contribution from charge transfer in the ground state by establishing the fraction of intermolecular charge transferred from P to Bri[sigmai = 0.077(23)] and the fraction of intramolecular charge transferred from Bri to Bro [sigmap(Br)=0.11(1)].     

A combined solid-state NMR and X-ray crystallography study of the bromide ion environments in triphenylphosphonium bromides

Multinuclear ((31)P and (79/81)Br), multifield (9.4, 11.75, and 21.1 T) solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiments are performed for seven phosphonium bromides bearing the triphenylphosphonium cation, a molecular scaffold found in many applications in chemistry. This is undertaken to fully characterise their bromine electric field gradient (EFG) tensors, as well as the chemical shift (CS) tensors of both the halogen and the phosphorus nuclei, providing a rare and novel insight into the local electronic environments surrounding them. New crystal structures, obtained from single-crystal X-ray diffraction, are reported for six compounds to aid in the interpretation of the NMR data. Among them is a new structure of BrPPh(4), because the previously reported one was inconsistent with our magnetic resonance data, thereby demonstrating how NMR data of non-standard nuclei can correct or improve X-ray diffraction data. Our results indicate that, despite sizable quadrupolar interactions, (79/81)Br magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful characterisation tool that allows for the differentiation between chemically similar bromine sites, as shown through the range in the characteristic NMR parameters. (35/37)Cl solid-state NMR data, obtained for an analogous phosphonium chloride sample, provide insight into the relationship between unit cell volume, nuclear quadrupolar coupling constants, and Sternheimer antishielding factors. The experimental findings are complemented by gauge-including projector-augmented wave (GIPAW) DFT calculations, which substantiate our experimentally determined strong dependence of the largest component of the bromine CS tensor, δ(11), on the shortest Br-P distance in the crystal structure, a finding that has possible application in the field of NMR crystallography. This trend is explained in terms of Ramsey's theory on paramagnetic shielding. Overall, this work demonstrates how careful NMR studies of underexploited exotic nuclides, such as (79/81)Br, can afford insights into structure and bonding environments in the solid state.     

Hyperfine resolved spectrum of the bromomethyl radical, CH2Br, by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy

Pure rotational spectra of the bromomethyl radical, CH(2)Br, were measured by using a Fourier transform microwave (FT-MW) spectrometer in order to fully resolve hyperfine structures arising from both the bromine and hydrogen nuclei. We detected a total of 124 lines for the (79)Br and (81)Br isotopomers, including K(a)=0 (ortho species) and K(a)=1 (para species). No hyperfine splitting due to the hydrogen nuclei was observed for the para species, directly confirming the planarity of the radical. We conducted a global analysis of our present FT-MW results and previous measurements in the millimeter-wave region and obtained an exhaustive list of molecular constants. The sign of the Fermi constant of the bromine nucleus was unambiguously determined to be positive, which is opposite to that found in previous work in the millimeter-wave region and in electron spin resonance experiment on this radical. The present study permitted a systematic comparison to be made of the hyperfine coupling constants of both the halogen and hydrogen nuclei for CH(2)X-type compounds, where X=F, Cl, and Br.     

Spectroscopic characterization of a molecule with a weak bond: the BrOO radical

Pure rotational spectra of the BrOO radical for the 79Br and 81Br isotopomers have been observed using a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The radical was produced in a supersonic jet by discharging a mixture gas containing bromine and oxygen diluted in argon. A-type rotational transitions are observed for N" = 1-5, K(a) = 0 with spin doublings and hyperfine splittings due to the nuclear spin of the bromine atom. High-level ab initio calculations by RCCSD(T) and MRCI have also been performed, and results are compared with the experimental data. Molecular structure of BrOO has been discussed based on the present experimental data, supplemented by the tendency among the halogen peroxide series and the results of the ab initio calculations; the Br-O bond is found to be anomalously long and weak. Systematic comparisons with other halogen peroxides have revealed anomalous nature of the X-O (X = halogen atom) bonds for this series of radicals.     

Gauge-origin independent calculation of magnetizabilities and rotational g tensors at the coupled-cluster level

An implementation of the gauge-origin independent calculation of magnetizabilities and rotational g tensors at the coupled-cluster (CC) level is presented. The properties of interest are obtained as second derivatives of the energy with respect to the external magnetic field (in the case of the magnetizability) or with respect to magnetic field and rotational angular momentum (in the case of the rotational g tensor), while gauge-origin independence and fast basis-set convergence are ensured by using gauge-including atomic orbitals (London atomic orbitals) as well as their extension to treat rotational perturbations (rotational London atomic orbitals). The implementation within our existing CC analytic second-derivative code is described, focusing on the required modifications concerning integral evaluation and treatment of the unperturbed and perturbed two-particle density matrices. An extensive set of test calculations for LiH and BH (up to the full configuration-interaction limit), for a series of simple hydrides (HF, H(2)O, NH(3), and CH(4)) as well as the more challenging molecules CO, N(2), and O(3) [employing the CC singles and doubles (CCSD) and the CCSD approximation augmented by a perturbative treatment of triple excitations] demonstrates the importance of electron correlation for high-accuracy predictions of magnetizabilities and rotational g tensors.